Author Topic: first blank build (Read 11636 times)

Sweeney · « **on:** April 18, 2016, 02:38:31 PM »

An 18 month ordeal, this is based on the Verner, Bucks County. The 31" Colerain, .58 and hardware from Tip Curtis. The blank was one of my own. My mentor, Larry McCoy guided me through the drilling and tapping and the fine moulding was cut by customer/friend Marvin Kemper. Patchbox was shaped and carved by me but the hole and dovetailing was done by Marvin. Lots of hard, wonderful lessons but the rifle feels great - just as I had hoped. Looking forward to chasing elk with it. will post more photos....

Sweeney · « **Reply #1 on:** April 18, 2016, 02:42:12 PM »

Sweeney · « **Reply #2 on:** April 18, 2016, 02:44:42 PM »

WadePatton · « **Reply #3 on:** April 18, 2016, 03:57:08 PM »

Looking great. I don't see many wooden boxes with such good grain matching. Well done there.

Sweeney · « **Reply #4 on:** April 18, 2016, 04:11:24 PM »

Thanks, Wade. And thanks to all on this site who provided guidance. This wrist inlay was engraved and placed by Marvin also. As our Founding-Fathers placed great importance on our capacity for 'reason', I wanted that to be reflected in this rifle. I wanted the 'Eye of Reason', as seen on our dollar bill.

CoSnipe · « **Reply #5 on:** April 18, 2016, 06:48:43 PM »

Beautifully done. Nice work.

wattlebuster · « **Reply #6 on:** April 18, 2016, 07:01:46 PM »

Sharp. I like it

smylee grouch · « **Reply #7 on:** April 18, 2016, 07:18:59 PM »

Nice combined effort. That should be a handy elk gun or moose or bear or deer.

D. Taylor Sapergia · « **Reply #8 on:** April 18, 2016, 07:32:53 PM »

Your patience and tenacity paid dividends!! That is a great hunting rifle. You've done a lovely job of bringing out the curl in that superlative piece of maple. Well done all around.

flehto · « **Reply #9 on:** April 18, 2016, 08:05:28 PM »

A well done LR, although I fail to see the "tie in " w/ a Verner Bucks County. ...except for the upper forestock incised carving.

The wood is top notch as is the workmanship....Hopefully this won't be your last?......Fred

Sweeney · « **Reply #10 on:** April 18, 2016, 08:54:58 PM »

Thanks to all for the comments and please feel free to critique - I need it. I am hopelessly addicted to this endeavor though with this build I swore it all off more than once.
Flehto, the wrist and butt I literally traced over from a picture on my computer screen, did some crude math and took it to a copy center for a proportional blow-up. That picture was from the Andrew Verner on a builder's website. Perhaps I did not successfully emulate it. The form of that rifle appealed to me though i did not get to hold one until long after (at Marvin Kemper's) I started.

Daryl · « **Reply #11 on:** April 18, 2016, 09:34:55 PM »

Looking very nice to my untrained eye - but that wood is spectacular! What FLAME!!!!! Beautiful job of matching the patch box figure.

Sweeney · « **Reply #12 on:** April 18, 2016, 10:46:06 PM »

Thanks Daryl, yes, that is some piece of wood. And that likely explains the lack of 'tie-in' to Verner that flehto observed. With wood so beautifully crafted by Nature - it would have been a shame for me to detract from it with my meager carving skills. No doubt Verner could have done it justice. Same with patchbox - could not tolerate replacing that figure with metal of any kind.

D. Taylor Sapergia · « **Reply #13 on:** April 18, 2016, 11:51:29 PM »

Here's some constructive criticism, since you asked specifically for it...

Next time, reduce the thickness of the wood web between the barrel and the rod hole. That will diminish the depth of the lower forestock and get the bottom line up closer to the lock. Also, don't be afraid to expose more than half of the barrel's side flat...that too contributes to the slenderness of the finished rifle.

Sweeney · « **Reply #14 on:** April 19, 2016, 01:57:42 AM »

Quote from: D. Taylor Sapergia on April 18, 2016, 11:51:29 PM

Here's some constructive criticism, since you asked specifically for it...

Next time, reduce the thickness of the wood web between the barrel and the rod hole. That will diminish the depth of the lower forestock and get the bottom line up closer to the lock. Also, don't be afraid to expose more than half of the barrel's side flat...that too contributes to the slenderness of the finished rifle.

Thank you. I assume that principle applies regardless of barrel style/thickness?

Marcruger · « **Reply #15 on:** April 19, 2016, 04:01:37 AM »

A heck of a fine first built. Great wood!

D. Taylor Sapergia · « **Reply #16 on:** April 19, 2016, 08:51:45 PM »

Quote from: Sweeney on April 19, 2016, 01:57:42 AM

Quote from: D. Taylor Sapergia on April 18, 2016, 11:51:29 PM
Here's some constructive criticism, since you asked specifically for it...

Next time, reduce the thickness of the wood web between the barrel and the rod hole. That will diminish the depth of the lower forestock and get the bottom line up closer to the lock. Also, don't be afraid to expose more than half of the barrel's side flat...that too contributes to the slenderness of the finished rifle.
Thank you. I assume that principle applies regardless of barrel style/thickness?

Not necessarily. Some longrifles are deeper through the lock section than others: Lehigh, Bucks Co., etc. And others are not so deep, and still others are quite deep. If you are building a Hawken full stock rifle, you will be drilling at least a 3/8" rod hole, and it may be as large as 1/2". So your vertical stock depth through the lock area is going to necessarily be much heavier, and still will be authentic. The bottom line: your research and planning is super important.

kaintuck · « **Reply #17 on:** April 21, 2016, 01:43:28 PM »

Brown them parts....and they will look thinner, less 'contrast'....

Nice nice job thouhh!
Marc n tomtom

thimble rig · « **Reply #18 on:** April 21, 2016, 03:16:13 PM »

That's a beautiful rifle.Good job you should be very proud.Where did you get youre wood from?

flinchrocket · « **Reply #19 on:** April 22, 2016, 04:13:17 AM »

Nice job Troy

Sweeney · « **Reply #20 on:** April 22, 2016, 04:28:47 AM »

Quote from: thimble rig on April 21, 2016, 03:16:13 PM

That's a beautiful rifle.Good job you should be very proud.Where did you get youre wood from?

Hi thimble rig, I deal in curly maple through our logging operation - I have the privilege of working with an Amish crew here in southern Indiana. They allow me check all the hard maple before they start felling. This allows me to dig the 'most promising' trees - securing the stump-cuts. Of course, Levi, our cutter gets the dubious honor of running the saw through the invariable rocks and dirt that abound at that level. Makes for lively banter....

Sweeney · « **Reply #21 on:** April 22, 2016, 04:30:53 AM »

Quote from: flinchrocket on April 22, 2016, 04:13:17 AM

Nice job Troy

Thanks flinchrocket, still waiting on your visit to our mill....

Clark Badgett · « **Reply #22 on:** April 22, 2016, 06:07:52 AM »

Quote from: Sweeney on April 22, 2016, 04:28:47 AM

Quote from: thimble rig on April 21, 2016, 03:16:13 PM
That's a beautiful rifle.Good job you should be very proud.Where did you get youre wood from?
Hi thimble rig, I deal in curly maple through our logging operation - I have the privilege of working with an Amish crew here in southern Indiana. They allow me check all the hard maple before they start felling. This allows me to dig the 'most promising' trees - securing the stump-cuts. Of course, Levi, our cutter gets the dubious honor of running the saw through the invariable rocks and dirt that abound at that level. Makes for lively banter....

So where you live here in sunny Southern Indiana?

thimble rig · « **Reply #23 on:** April 22, 2016, 03:12:09 PM »

Oh you lucky dog.I see where all the good stock wood goes now,I live in Elkhart In. Up by the big lake.

hortonstn · « **Reply #24 on:** April 22, 2016, 05:40:46 PM »

what type of finish did you use its really nice?

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Author Topic: first blank build (Read 11636 times)

CoSnipe

kaintuck

thimble rig

thimble rig